Current Lesson No. Five

Joseph Smith Did More, Save Jesus Only

Remembering Joseph on the 210th anniversary of his birth – The gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through Joseph Smith who was born 210 years ago on December 23, 1805.  He lived to age 38 and two months before he was martyred, Joseph said:  “You don’t know me; you never knew my heart.  No man knows my history.  I cannot tell it:  I shall never undertake it.  I don’t blame anyone for not believing my history.  If I had not experienced what I have, I would not have believed it myself.”

What did Joseph mean when he said “No man knows my history?”  He was clearly saying that he had many visions and revelations that he could not speak of.  He eludes to some of them:

“And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood” (D&C 128:21). 

I believe that he was also referring to experiences he had in the pre-existence.  He could not remember those experiences while in mortality, but he clearly understood the doctrine of foreordination.  In May 1844, a month before he was killed, Joseph said:  “At the general or Grand Council of heaven, all those to whom a dispensation was to be committed were set apart and ordained at that time, to that calling.” 

Chosen vessels of the Lord – Each dispensation has a dispensation head who knows the Lord from firsthand experience and bears witness of Him.  The keys of the priesthood are restored by angels to each dispensation head, and in this way the covenants of the Father are fulfilled.  Moroni describes the process:    

“And the office of their (angels) ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him” (Moroni 7:31).  These chosen vessels of the Lord are the dispensation heads.

“And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men” (Moroni 7:32).

The keys of the priesthood are passed on to each succeeding prophet in that dispensation who then bears testimony of Christ and also of that dispensation head.  President Monson testifies that Jesus is the Christ and also that Joseph Smith is the prophet of this dispensation by whom the Lord restored the gospel.  The prophet successors to Adam, Enoch, etc. would do the same.  They would say, “I know that Jesus is the Christ and that Adam is his prophet by whom the gospel was revealed in our dispensation.”

Joseph Smith holds the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times both in time and in eternity – In Kirtland in 1832 Joseph said:  “I myself hold the keys of this last dispensation, and I forever will hold them in time and in eternity.  So set your hears at rest, for all is well” (Teachings of the Presidents – Joseph Smith, p. 512). 

When Joseph was introducing the ordinances of the temple in Nauvoo in 1843 he further explained:  “I…hold the keys of the last kingdom, in which is the dispensation of the fullness of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy Prophets since the world began, under the sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood” (History of the Church 6:78).  The sealing power here referred to operates both in this life and in the spirit world under the keys held by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It is appropriate to remember Joseph at Christmas time – Joseph’s testimony of Jesus is central to our dispensation.  His ministry is an important part of the plan of salvation.  The work of our dispensation on both sides of the veil is accomplished through the keys held by Joseph Smith.  This work will enable those, who did not have a chance in this life, to receive all the blessings of the gospel in the next life.    

Therefore, it truly can be said: “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:30).